Porsche 718 Boxster

Badged the 718, a new generation of the Porsche Boxster calls upon the nostalgia of Porsche Motorsport. 718 is the designation that was given to the four-cylinder, mid-engine Porsche sports cars that won several races in the 1950s and 1960s.

The 718 Boxster and 718 Boxster S are priced from £41,739 and £50,695, respectively and are available to order now from your Official Porsche Centre in the UK and Ireland. First customer deliveries will be in Spring 2016.

The 718 Boxster, although downsized in cylinder and engine capacity is up on power. The standard 718 Boxster produces 300hp from a turbocharged 2-litre flat-four, while the 718 Boxster S has 350hp from a 2.5-litre engine, which is also turbocharged. Both models have a 35hp increase over the previous Boxster and have a 13 per cent increase in fuel efficiency. Both models have a six-speed manual gearbox as standard.

Like the new second generation turbocharged 991 Carrera, a significant torque increase is accessible lower down the engine’s rev range. The power band in the 718 Boxster is between 1,950rpm to 4,500rpm with 0-62mph delivered with the optional PDK dual-clutch transmission in 4.7 seconds – 0.8 seconds faster than the previous Boxster. The 718 Boxster S meanwhile, has its power band between 1,900rpm to 4,500rpm. Again, when equipped with the optional PDK transmission, the Boxster S can reach 62mph from rest in 4.2 seconds – 0.6 seconds faster than the previous model. The Boxster is also capable of a 170mph top speed, while the Boxster S can go on until 177mph, respectively.

The optional Sport Chrono Package provides the driver with three driving modes: Normal, Sport and Sport Plus. When the 718 Boxster is equipped with PDK transmission, the Sport Response Button is added, in the middle of the Mode switch. This function gifts the driver access to maximum responsiveness of the car for 20 seconds, which is useful for overtaking.

You may notice that the 718 Boxster has some sharper styling cues than the previous model. I think it looks superb, and the previous Boxster looked VERY good. The sharper front end hints at the performance available with a wider appearance, combined with the optional Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) which gives a 10mm lower ride height, the 718 Boxster looks a serious performance car. The most noticeable change is the re-designed tail lights and Porsche badge location. A PASM Sport Chassis with a 20mm lower ride height is now also available as an option, on the Boxster S.

Some of the latest iterations of the electro-mechanical power steering system are the finest I have driven, offering instant response and realistic feedback. The system in the 718 Boxster has been configured to be 10 per cent more direct, making the car more responsive and agile.